It’s that time of year again! The 2014 Florida Sportsman Southeast Stupiter Bash and Tournament will be held this Saturday, June 14, from 6:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. with all proceeds going to benefit the veterans at the House of Hope foundation.

With last year’s event such a huge success, we’re returning to Sandsprit Park, where it was held in 2012, offering ample room for everyone. There will be live auctions and raffles like the year’s before, but with even more games and chances to win great prizes. Whether you’re interested in the fishing tournament or not, the FS staff encourages people to come out and enjoy themselves. It’s not about the biggest fish, but rather the biggest smile!

Most importantly, the tournament will be benefiting the House of Hope foundation, a nonprofit agency that provides services as well as donations to help the needed. They provide food, clothing, furniture, financial assistance as well as life-changing case management services for the residents of Martin County, including veterans who share a love and passion for the outdoors.

The event starts with a captains meeting at Pirates Loft in Stuart, June 12, at 7 p.m. This will allow members of the fishing community to meet and greet, as well as explain the rules and guidelines, so everyone attending has a fun and safe day on the water.

The admission fee is $25 per boat and an additional $5 for the “Dads and Kids” category (kids must be 12 or under). There will be one fish weighed per boat, unless they’re apart of the “Dads and Kids” category, in which they will be allowed to weigh two fish, in honor of Father’s Day. You can register online at www.stupiterbash.com and purchase additional t-shirts as well.

The tournament will consist of an Offshore and Inshore division. The offshore division will include kingfish, dolphin, and wahoo. Inshore species include redfish, spotted seatrout, and snook (snook IS out of season, check the rules section below for more details). Both live and artificial baits are permitted (see below for more details). Scales are open from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Not in the fishing tournament? No worries, the Stupiter Bash is still the place for you! There will be $5 entry fee to enjoy the day with raffle ticket sales starting at 12 p.m. along with music, food, and live auctions. There will also be a Corn Hole Tournament where there will be prizes for the winners, which will include gift cards, fishing equipment, and all different types of outdoors accessories. All are encouraged to come and enjoy this event to meet great people, have a good time, and most of all, give back to the ones who have sacrificed for our country.

Prizes Include:

Inshore:

1st place: 45 Qt. Evakool Cooler

2nd place: Salt Life Sunglasses/Zeiss Shades

Offshore:

1st place: 85 Qt. Evakool Cooler

2nd place: Salt Life Sunglasses/Zeiss Shades

General Tournament Rules:

1. WEATHER: The decision to fish is solely the captain’s choice. All anglers fish at their own discretion and risk. If the tournament rules committee determines it is unsafe to fish, all prizes will still be awarded by raffle tickets at the Bash (must be present to win). No entry refunds.

2. All boats must be registered and prepaid to fish the Bash tournament.

3. Tournament hours of fishing are 6:30 A.M., with scales and photo judging open from 9 A.M. until 2 P.M. (If you are in line by 2 P.M., your fish will be counted.)

4. All state and federal recreational fishing rules governing weight, size, bag limits and licensing must be observed. Only legal sized fish will be weighed.

5. One member of each fishing team must be a member of Florida Sportsman Forum.

7. Florida Sportsman magazine, its sponsors, vendors or members of the committee are NOT responsible for any incidents/accidents that may occur during this event.

8. By registering for this event you agree that you have read and understand these rules.

Specific Offshore Tournament Rules

1. All fish must be caught on rod and reel (no electric reels). Kites, downriggers, planers, and wire lines are permitted. No line test restrictions. Live, dead and artificial baits are permitted. No limits to the number of lines each boat can fish. The top three finishers for each species win prizes.

2. Eastern boundary is 25 nautical miles. Fishing in The Bahamas is prohibited.

3. Tournament scales open at 9 a.m. No mutilated fish will be weighed. Anglers entering fish must return to the weigh station in the boat they fished from. No fish or anglers can be transferred between boats. All fish weighed in must be accompanied to the scale by an angler from the boat it was caught from and be weighed in the presence of the Official Tournament Weigh Master. In the event of a tie (identical weights), the first boat that visually checked in will win the award based upon time, the other fish will become eligible for the next lowest award category if applicable.

4. Only one (1) fish per category per boat can be entered. Offshore species include kingfish, dolphin and wahoo. Prizes will be awarded for each of the largest species weighed, but no more than one prize be awarded per boat.

Specific Inshore Tournament Rules

1. For snook, seatrout and redfish, the goal is to catch and measure the longest fish for each species. Under-slot fish cannot be counted toward the tournament. The top three finishers for each species win prizes. Natural baits or artificial lures are allowed.

2. Wading, kayaking shore fishing or fishing from a powerboat are all allowed. Make sure to bring along your own digital camera to take photos. Also, bring the lawstick passed out at the captains’ meeting on Thursday, June 12.

3. Lines in at 6:30 am sharp. There is no check-out on the morning of Saturday, June 14. Feel free to get on the water early, but don’t fish until 6:30 am. If a picture is taken before 6:30 am it will not count. (For example, a picture taken in the dark will not be counted. Sunrise is at 6:30 am on June 12, 2014.)

4. Once a fish is caught, that fish must be measured on a Florida Sportsman lawstick, handed out at the captains’ meeting on Thursday, June 12. Photograph the fish on the lawstick, with head starting at the 0 inches mark; this will pertain particularly to snook since they will be out of season. Make sure the whole fish is clearly visible. Keep the fish out of the water for as short a time as possible. For snook larger than 36 inches, take a second picture of the portion of snook that measured past the lawstick. (One way to do it: Place your finger on the snook where the lawstick initially measured. Then, move the lawstick to that fingered position to show how many more inches past the 36” the snook measured.)

5. Snook, seatrout and redfish are measured as Total Length (TL). According to the FWC, total length is the straight line distance from the most forward part of the head with the mouth closed to the farthest tip of the tail with the tail compressed or pinched together while the fish is lying on its side.

6. Only the longest measured catch for a particular inshore species will be counted toward the tournament. Any tie-breakers go to the angler who first checked in at the judge’s table. It is to the angler’s or boat’s benefit to photograph-and-measure a number of species to have a better chance at winning a prize.

7. If an angler wants to keep a legal snook, redfish or seatrout, make sure to measure and photograph the catch before placing it in the cooler.

8. The inshore judging table opens at 9 a.m. and closes at 2 p.m. No internet connection is available at the park, so make sure to use a digital camera that’s able to connect to a computer. Sending photos via email will not work. Smart phones will not work. The judging table will have a card reader on hand to accommodate digital camera memory cards.

9. One boat can only win one prize. (This does not apply toward separate raffle prizes). If a group of anglers is fishing from a single boat together, that boat as a whole can only win one prize. A group of inshore fishermen that starts out in a boat together, but then ends up wade-fishing separately is still treated as a single boat. The reasoning behind this is so that a “hot-shot” captain can’t win all the prizes, leaving no prizes for anybody else. This tournament is about Florida Sportsman members and fishermen having fun, fishing and meeting other members. This is also a tournament to benefit Dylan Jouppi.

Bash Questions and Answers

The SE Bash is more about getting together for a good time than trying to catch the biggest fish to win a tournament. All Florida Sportsman members, their family and friends are encouraged to come out and enjoy the music, food and good company. A $5 fee will be asked to attend the event as all proceeds will be given to the House of Hope. There will also be a Corn Hole tournament to be held with prizes to be won by winners so be sure to attend!

Will t-shirts be for sale prior to the Bash, can I buy without going?

Yes, you’ll be able to buy t-shirts and help raise money for the House of Hope without going to the Bash or fishing in the tournament.

Can I bring the fish to the weigh-in or photo-judging table by car?

Yes, you can bring your fish by car, you don’t have to come by boat. As said in the inshore rules section, this will need to be done ESPECIALLY for snook since they’ll be out of season.

Will there be a raffle, silent auction?

Yes, there will be a limited number of silent auction items.

What will the winner of the tournament get?

The Tournament’s format and prize structure is based on keeping things fun. Everyone has a shot at winning, one local boat or captain won’t win it all. No big prize money at stake, but definitely good prizes to win.

What is the House of Hope?

House of Hope is a nonprofit agency, founded in 1984, that provides food, clothing, furniture, financial assistance and life-changing case management services to Martin County residents. The clients are adults and children in need — typically low-wage workers, single parents, senior citizens, the recently unemployed, veterans, people who are homeless or disabled, and families suffering through life crises. For more information visit www.hohmartin.org.